3
CENTRAL LEADER, DECEMBER 15, 2010
NEWS
THE
of the Contact TriWoman Triathlons
Pt Chevalier Sunday 23rd January
Narrow Neck Saturday 5th March
Pt Chevalier Saturday 9th April
www.tri.co.nz
IN BRIEF
Money taken
Aunty Jo's Kids' Christmas
Party may have been a great
success, but it ended on a
sour note for organiser Jo
Legge.
After the event at Potters Park
on December 2, $90 raised
from a raffle was stolen from
a car, possibly between
2.15pm and 2.30pm.
Ms Legge, who has run the
party for the past 17 years,
says she was going to use the
money to pay for incidentals
associated with organising
the day out.
If you have any information
call Ms Legge on 620-1960.
Bogus collectors
The Royal Plunket Society is
warning local residents to
keep an eye out for bogus
charity collectors in
operation.
Auckland Plunket councillor
Samantha Newby-Whybrow
says impostors masque-
rading as volunteers have
been seen in Remuera,
Newmarket and Onehunga,
with money collection
buckets.
She cautions the public to be
aware.
''Normally they have official
Plunket identification and
these people don't,'' Mrs
Newby-Whybrow says.
''There would also be more
public awareness of it.''
This year's public appeal was
in March with the next
collection drive for Plunket is
scheduled for March 2011.
SAFE volunteers
An appeal to fight animal
cruelty will take to the streets
later this month to raise
funds for SAFE -- Save
Animals From Exploitation.
The annual street appeal is
seeking volunteers to help
out on December 17 and 18
and those interested would
be asked to collect for two
hours between 7am and 8pm.
All collectors also go in the
cruelty-free prize draw to win a
$500 hamper.
Visit www.safe.org.nz to get
involved or call
0800-728-387.
Any news?
If you have a news story email
edcl@snl.co.nz or call the
Central Leader reporters on
630-5419.
Carnage scene: An accident on Dominion Rd which claimed the life of a motorcyclist.
Photo: JASON OXENHAM
Fears over fatal crash
Earlier smash: This multi-car accident happened when a driver hit parked cars.
Photo: JOHN SELKIRK
By RHIANNON HORRELL
FEARS have been voiced over
road deaths on Dominion Rd
after a horror scene last
Thursday in which two
serious accidents took place
within hours, claiming the
life of a motorcyclist.
At 10.51am a multi-car pile
up took place on the busy
road near the intersection
with Valley Rd as a result of
a driver who allegedly hit
four parked cars.
Two people were taken to
hospital for observation and
one woman had to be cut from
her car. It took more than an
hour to clear the scene and
the driver has been arrested
for driving while incapable.
A short time later at
1.20pm a fatal crash took
place between a car and a
motorbike at 157 Dominion
Rd.The police serious crash
unit is investigating the inci-
dent which killed the male
motorcyclist and left his
female passenger in a serious
condition.
Onlookers witnessed the
driver of the car sobbing and
the person is assisting police
with inquiries.
Self-employed man Ian
Forsman was on Dominion
Rd at the time and says both
the bike and the car were
travelling north.
He estimates the driver of
the bike was reaching speeds
of up to 110kmh.
He was powering up here.
There was no safety gear --
just shorts, t-shirt and open
face helmets. It's been a bad
day today. It's like a bomb
site.''
Auckland road policing
manager inspector Gavin
Macdonald says all road
users need to share the roads
with care and be vigilant.
A moment's carelessness
or inattention on anyone's
behalf can be tragic within
seconds.''
Save Dominion Rd cam-
paigner Penny Hickey says
her daughter witnessed the
car pile-up.
It was totally erratic driv-
ing.
The two factors they had
in common was speed and the
safety of the footpath
environment for pedestrians.
If we have a wider road we
will encourage faster driving
and there will be worse
tragedies. Faster speeds will
mean more deaths.''
Ms Hickey hopes the Auck-
land Council will not go
ahead with road widening
and will not narrow
footpaths.